Portable scaffolding



L. VTTOLLEFSEN PORTABLE SCAFFOLDING April 7, 1959 Filed April 2. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEYS April 7, 1959 L. w. TOLLEFSEN 1,

PORTABLE SCAFFOLDING Filed A ril 2.195s

O O I l3 4a 2 Shets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. LIEF W. TOLLEFSEN ATTORNEYS Unite States Patent PORTABLE SCAFFOLDING Lief W. Tollefsen, Portland, Oreg. Application April 2, 1956, Serial No. 575,547 3 Claims. (Cl. 304-18) The present invention relates to portable scaffolding and, more particularly, to scaffolding adapted to be used in the painting, scaling and otherwise conditioning hulls of ships.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a scaffolding that can be controlled in its movement and operation from the scaffold platform by the workman.

Another object of this invention is to provide a scaffolding made up of individual complete units that can be used as separate units for one workman, or these units can be combined together where several workmen can be supported on a platform.

A further object of this invention is to mount the supporting mechanism of the scafiolding on the gunnel of a ship, providing means for moving the scaffold unit throughout the length of the gunnel either manually or by power means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide mechanism within the scaffolding for gauging the distance of the workman from the hull of the ship, and means for moving the scaffolding towards the hull of the ship following the contour of the hull.

And yet another object of this invention is to provide a scaffolding support that can be adapted to travel around roof rims of buildings, oil tanks and the like.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the hull of a ship having the new and improved scaffolding mounted thereon, and illustrating how the scafiold follows the contour of the ship in its operation;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a pair of individual scaffold supporting workmen seats combined with each other by planking in the forming of a platform scaffold. This View is taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of one of the seats, including a fragmentary part of the platform and hand rail, taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional vieW, taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1, illustrating how the counterbalancing telescopical support is constructed;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary outside view of the davit and scaffold supporting carriage associated with the gunnel of the ship, taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the tip of the davit/and its associated cable reels for supporting the scaffolding. This view is taken on line 6-6 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a plan view of the davit supporting scaffolding carriage mounted on the gunnel of the ship;

Figure 8 is an end sectional view, taken on line 8-8 of Figure 7, looking in the direction indicated;

Figure 9 is a plan sectional view of the carriage assembly, taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8; and,

Patented Apr. 7, 1959 Figure 10 illustrates how the davit and scafiolding carriage can be mounted to railing surrounding promenade decks of the ship.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the letter S indicates a conventional ship, having the usual hull 15, and the gunnel construction 16 surrounding the upper side of the deck 17. This invention consists of a davit and scafiold supporting a carriage C. The carriage C consists of a horizontal frame 18 and a vertically disposed frame 19, joined together at 20. The carriage C is adapted to operate on the top rail 21 of the gunnel 16. The carriage C is supported on the rail 21 by the trunnion wheels 22, which are journaled within brackets 23 forming part of the horizontal frame member 18, as best illustrated in Figures 5, 7 and 8.

A trunnion wheel 24 is journaled within bracket 25 forming part of the vertical frame 19. This wheel 24 is adapted to engage the outer shell 26 of the gunnel 16. The wheels 24 are preferably driven by a motor 27 through the reduction gear 28 and chain 29, and the rim of the wheel 24 would probably have a friction surface associated therewith.

Extending downwardly from the horizontal frame 18 is a supporting member 32. Trunnion wheels 33 are journaled to a pivotally mounted supporting member 34, as best illustrated in Figures 7, 8 and 9. The member 34 is mounted to the support 32 by way of a spindle 35 which is journaled within a hub 36 formed on the member 34. The spindle 35 forms part of the support. The member 34 is held in the position shown in Figures 7 and 8 by the action of the springs 37 and 38.

One end of the springs are anchored to a bracket 39 forming part of the support 32, while the opposite ends are secured to the member 34 at 40. This holds the pinion 33 under the rail 21 at all times, except when the carriage C is passing the gunnel braces 41. When this happens the cam surface 42 formed on the member 34 strikes these frames pivoting the member 34 to the position shown in Figure 9, allowing the trunnion wheel 33 to pass the brace 41, after which the cam 42 under the influence of spring 38 will return the member 34 to the position shown in Figure 7.

The oppositely disposed cam surface 42' will then contact the brace 41 and remove the trunnion wheel 33 from under the rail 21 against the tension of spring 37 to permit the carriage C to pass the said frame member 41 on its travel along the rail. As soon as the trailing end of the cam 42 passes the frame member 41, the spring 37 returns the rollers 33, 33' and the member 34 to the positions shown in Figure 7 so that at all times there will be a trunnion wheel under the rail 21, preventing the carriage C from tilting.

The carriage C is held toward the gunnel 16 at all times by the trunnion wheel 43, the said trunnion wheel being journaled to the bracket 44 which forms part of the support 32, referring particularly to Figures 8 and 9.

A conventional davit 45 is journaled at its lower end within the bearing support 46. The bearing 46 forms part of the vertical frame 19. A spur gear 47 is keyed to the davit 45 and is adapted to be rotated by the pinion 48 associated with the gear reduction box 49, which in turn is driven by the motor 50. A pair of cable drums 51 and 52 are mounted to the motors 53 and 54. These motors are, in turn, mounted to the upper ends 55 of the davit 45, as best illustrated in Figure 6. The purpose of these drums will be explained later on.

A seat or chair 56 is supported by the cable 57 by way of the bale 58, which is secured to the seat 56 at 59 and 60. It may be assumed that the cable 57 is wrapped about the drum 52. Mounted underneath the seat 56 is a telescopical arm 61. This arm 61 is made up of tubular 3 members 62 sliding one within the other. The member 62 is fixedly secured to the underside of the seat 56 by any suitable means. A cable 63 is connected to the outer tubular member 62" at 64 at its lower end and trained about the cable drum 51 at .its upper end, also under the point 64 is suspended at counterweight 65. Means is provided for limiting the outward travel of 'each of the tubular members 62 by the limit stop 66, referring to Figure 4, and these tubular members 62 may be held in extended position by the pin 67. The operation of this counterweight arrangement will be described later.

When it is desired to operate a pair of carriages throughout for supporting a plank platform or the like, they are spaced apart. The planks are supported between the seats 56 by the hangers 69. Also bridging between the seats from the point 60 is a hand rail 70. The planks are secured to the seats by any suitable means for maintaining their spaced relation.

Illustrated in Figure is another application of the carriage of the scaffolding mounted to a railing 71, consisting of horizontal rails 72 and supporting post 73. The rails 72 are found on the promenade decks adjacent the cabins and the like. The trunnion wheel 74 replaces the same and is adapted to ride the upper rail of the railing 71. Some of the other associated parts are omitted and do not have to be used, but this change makes it possible to adapt the same to railing supports. Alternate or individual elements can be made as for instance using the scaifolding on tanks, buildings and the like, still coming within the scope of the claims.

In the use and operation of the present invention, one or more carriages C are mounted upon the rail 21 of the gunnel 16 of a ship in the above described manner. A workman will be seated on the seat 56 when the device is being used as an individual scaffolding. He will be able to move the carriage C along the gunnel 16 of the ship by way of a cable switch control (not shown). The cable control would be associated with an automatic take up reel and connected to the various motors above described.

The operation of the motor 27 will revolve the trunnion wheel 24 moving the carriage C along the gunnel 16 of the ship. By operating another control button the workman can operate the motor 54, raising and lowering his seat up and down along the side of the hull of the ship. Where this movement is relatively straight up and down he needs no other control for moving him to his working position, but where the hull 15 recedes underneath as illustrated in Figure 1, it becomes necessary to move the seat toward the hull 15 in the following manner.

The members 62 are extended outwardly from under the seat 56 the desired distance depending upon the contour of the hull 15. Each member 62 is forced out one at a time and locked in position by the pin 67. This carries the weight 65 along With the same from under the seat 56. By operating the motor 53 the drums 51 will reel or unreel the cable 63 so as to raise and lowerthe arms 61 and the weight 65 to a horizontal position so that the seat 56 will follow the contour of the hull 15.

If it is desired to follow the contour of the ship even further than is illustrated in Figure 1, the 'davits 45 may be revolved within their bearings 46 by operating the motor 50 by the control line from the seat 56, bringing the cable drums 51 and 52 toward the ship, which in turn will cause the seat or scaffolding to move closer to the hull 15.

In the event the device is being used as a scaffolding wherein planking is used, two of the carriages C would probably be operated simultaneously, one with the other by a pair of control lines (not shown), by the operator and each carriage can be controlled as desired individually, twisting or swinging the scaffolding to conform to the hull of the ship.

Having thus described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it should be understood that numerous modifications and structural adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a scaffold including a chair, a bale connected with said chair, a support cable, means for connecting one end of said cable with said bale, a plurality of telescoping members fixedly secured to said chair and expansible rearwardly thereof, a second support cable, means connecting said second cable with the outermost end of the innermost one of said telescoping members, counterbalancing means fixedly secured to said outer end of said innermost one of said members, and a pair of rotatable drums positioned in close proximity to each other above said chair with said first and said second support cables secured respectively to said drums, said drums being independently operable in order to maintain said chair and said telescoping members in horizontal planes.

2. In combination, a scaffold chair, a bale connected to said chair, a support cable, means connecting one end 'of said cable with said bale, a plurality of telescoping members fixedly secured to said chair and expansible rearwardly thereof, a second cable, means connecting one end of said second cable with said telescoping members at the end thereof opposite said chair, and a pair of rotatable drums positioned in close proximity to each other above said chair with said first and said second support cables secured respectively to said drums, said drums being independently operable in order to maintain said "chair and said telescoping members in horizontal planes.

3. A scaffold comprising a length of cable, a seat including a bale, means connecting one end of said cable with said bale, a plurality of telescoping members fixedly secured beneath said seat and adapted for extension rearwardly thereof, a counterbalance weight fixedly secured to the outer end of the innermost of said telescoping members, a second cable, means connecting one end of said second cable with said outerend of said innermost of said telescoping members, means releasably securing said telescoping members in their respective extended positions, and a pair of rotatable drums positioned in close proximity to each other above said chair with said first and said second support cables secured respectively to said drums, said drums being independently operable in order to maintain said chair and said telescoping members in horizontal planes.

References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,423,998 Camp July 25, 1922 1,870,714 Dean Aug. 9, 1932 2,170,689 Loomis Aug. 22, 1939 2,447,865 McClintock Aug. 24, 1948 2,485,165 Pollman Oct. 18, 1949 2,543,348 Briese Feb. 27, 1951 2,577,286 Stteeter Dec. 4, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 

